The invention most closely corresponds with USPTO Class 310, subclass 15 relating to electrical generator or motor structure wherein the invention involves subject matter in which the movable element of the dynamoelectric device moves to and fro along a straight line path or along an accurate path which is so short as to be substantially a straight line.
In its simplest form, the invention comprises a novel method and apparatus for moving a mirror laterally without angular distortion (pitch and yaw) so as to reflect a light beam in a desired and precise angle, and without temperature induced artifacts. In the present invention's realm, pitch and yaw refer to the attitude of a light beam reflected off a mirror in terms of a symmetrical beam wherein the directional stability in yaw is the same as the pitch stability.
In precision instruments, the accuracy of the instrument's performance is a crucial element. In re Binnard, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,368,838, a high efficiency voice coil motor is described wherein a manner of magnetic field application is used. Binnard, however, lacks many of the features contained in the present invention, and limits itself to specific types and shapes of magnets. Further, there is no elegant method of controlling the temperature of the Binnard assembly as exists in the present invention. These differences will be apparent to one skilled in the art as detailed within this Specification.